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Kalzip Ltd - New college sees the light

17 August, 2009

Kalzip’s highly durable perforated façade system was specified by Jefferson Sheard Architects to provide a series of translucent protective ‘veils’ around four major external stairwell areas at East Durham College’s new campus in Peterlee, Co Durham. Miller Construction (UK) Ltd was the design and build contractor and Chemplas Ltd the building envelope contractor.

Ideal for both new build and refurbishment projects, Kalzip perforated aluminium façades offer elegant, innovative and cost-effective design solutions whilst producing subtle yet continually changing visual effects - by allowing natural daylight into the building by day and providing aesthetically pleasing back-lit architectural features at night.

“We specified perforated Kalzip for the stairwells to create an intriguing ‘textured’ contrast with the college’s main cladding and experimented with several electrical lighting options before finally deciding on the dramatic blue effect that we felt best suited the building,” says Jefferson Sheard’s project architect, Heath Denton.

As well as 360m² of Kalzip perforated sheets used for the stairwell façades, Chemplas also installed more than 6,000m² of straight and smooth curved stucco embossed Kalzip aluminium standing seam roofing sheets including those on the gently wave curved canopy roof over the college’s striking main entrance.

In addition to 7 different round-hole versions, Kalzip perforated sheets are available in elliptical and cruciform shaped options enabling a wide variety of ventilation levels, sun-shading and visual effects to be achieved. Sheet finishes include standard stucco embossed and AluPlusPatina with a range of RAL colour coatings available on request - all of which can be supplied in 1.0mm and 1.2mm thicknesses and with non-perforated ribs for increased strength.

Kalzip perforated façades are available in straight, convex curved and concave curved form and in four different standing seam profiles. The versatility of the product lends itself perfectly to being used for internal ceiling and wall cladding, soffits and as wind break barriers for bridges or similarly exposed external applications.

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